This time, Ryu didn't back down from Ailsa's teasing. Plus, considering the strong blush on her face, was it even necessary for him to take a step back?
As far as he was concerned, since Ailsa was his woman, he would be considered to be in the same generation as her. As such, even if these two were older than the time he had experienced in both his lifetimes, they would still be his little nephews.
As for the matter of his Fate Wheel? Who cared?
One would think that the reason Ryu had never gazed upon his Fate Star even once since he was birthed into this second was because he was afraid. But, this wasn't the case at all.
The reason he never looked was because it simply didn't matter. Whether his Fate Star had changed or not had little to nothing to do with him.
Ryu took a deep breath, his body finally calming.
Rollaith and Sanreth both wore frowning expressions. As members of the royal family, they too had never sought out their Life Partners. In fact, they weren't even sure if their Life Partners had been long since born, had yet to be born, or had even already died.
As such, these two couldn't quite understand the relationship between a Faerie and their Life Partner. So, seeing their respected Aunt act in such a way left them feeling uncomfortable.
The truth was that they hadn't ignored Ryu for the sake of showing him disdain. They simply wanted to implore their Aunt. As for Ryu's opinion, it just didn't happen to be relevant. But now… He was getting in their way.
"If our nephews are so powerful, I'm going to begin looking at you with a raised brow." Ryu suddenly commented off handedly, his grip tightening around his Great Swordstaffs.
Ailsa pouted. "What's that supposed to mean? If you weren't so obstinate about our Intimacy, your cultivation journey would be much easier."
"Hm, I guess you're right. That's not necessarily a good thing."
Ailsa suddenly felt that Ryu's face was quite annoying right now. Luckily for him, she didn't want to start a lover's quarrel with her little nephews here.
"Don't hurt them." Ailsa said softly.
If it wasn't so off brand for him, Ryu would have really wanted to roll his eyes right now. These were two Immortal Ring geniuses with Ancestral Grade Immortal Rings. They were the pinnacle geniuses the Martial World had to offer. They would have no problem defeating Izril just like he had.
Now this woman was asking him to go easy on them. How was he supposed to do that, exactly?
'It's really as Grandpa Kukan always used to say… More women, more problems…'
This time, Ailsa couldn't refrain from punching Ryu.
"Are you trying to compare me to that Mistress Holy Wing whore?!"
Ryu froze. "… Oh look, they're preparing to attack. Sit tight."
Dodging Ailsa's next planned assault, Ryu shot forward, a light smile on his face. But, compared to the almost demonic crimson veins spreading from his eyes, it was almost too much of a dichotomy to accept.
By now, the two little nephews were furious. Watching their little aunt being flirted with like this before them was almost a blatant humiliation. The two were practically in their own world.
It wasn't as bad as disregard. No, they didn't feel as though the two were disrespecting them. Rather, it felt like the two were just bickering over how to punish their children. It was almost a worse kind of humiliation.
All their youth, these two had learned about the great deeds of their Uncle and his little sister. Ailsa might have spent most of her life outside of the Cultus Clan, but that didn't stop her from achieving all sorts of exploits before she left.
Watching her act like this with another man left them feeling more than a small bit uncomfortable.
It wasn't the kind of feeling one would get when watching someone you like fall in love with someone else. Rather, it was like watching your mother introduce your step father to you. It was exactly that kind of unsettling, uncomfortable emotion that was seeping into their marrow.
At that moment, as Ryu charged, his steps light, not many knew how they should be reacting at this moment. The members of Violet Olive stood in a stalemate with those of Deep Valley, the battle having come to a grinding halt.
"What are you all doing?" Ailsa suddenly spoke. "You guys go back to the city. As for the rest of you, stay here until they're far enough away, then you can go."
Ailsa's meaning was clear, she was actually telling Deep Valley to let the Violet Olive Team go. But was that supposed to be a joke? Why would they do this?
"Oh, you don't want to listen to me? Let me tell you, this is a family matter and has nothing to do with you lot. If you don't listen to me, I'll set my little nephews on you."
Rollaith and Sanreth's expressions twitched when they heard Ailsa's words. Were they really going to be used like this?
Sensing Izril and his partner look toward them, though, they could only answer.
"Do as my aunt says unless you want to deal with the consequences!" Sanreth growled.
Izril's eyes narrowed. It seemed that this matter was far more complicated than he knew. It would appear that they had no choice but to let Violet Olive go.
Ryu appeared before the two just as these words were spoken. Any amusement his face had had previously vanished.
"Will you fight him? I don't like bullying the weak." Rollaith said plainly.
"You fight him, I'm feeling a bit tired."
"Tsk, you think I don't know you just don't want to get on Auntie's bad side?"
Sanreth opened his mouth to speak, but Ryu suddenly attacked.
"You'll both fight me."
Ryu's cold voice cut their conversation short, his Great Swordstaffs spinning in his hands as he bore down on the two of them.
The pupils of the two little nephews constricted. Ryu's speed had suddenly exploded, his body erupting with a layer of flickering blue scales. His two qilin horns sparked with electricity, the muscles of his body surging.
BANG!
The two little nephews shot their fists forward, each colliding with one of Ryu's blades as though their skins was formed of the strongest metals.
Ryu felt his arms tremble, his bones creaking and threatening to crack.
His feet slid backward, his pulsing gaze boring holes into the two Faeries.
…
By this point, the members of the Violet Olive Team had already cleared out. They rushed through the tunnels in groups, each with minds filled with thoughts of returning to the safety of the city.
'Annette? What's wrong?' Giveon asked.
At the moment, his body was still covered in his violet armor. So, Annette didn't have a human form for now.
'Those two…' Annette mumbled. '… I'm pretty sure that they're the twin dragons of the Cultus Clan…'
'Twin dragons?'
'They aren't really twins. In fact, they don't share the same parents, though each has at least one parent from the main family line. I've heard of them before… I wasn't sure, but after hearing their names…
'Rollaith of the Endless Cycles Fist Style. Sanreth of the Infinite Regression Fist Style. They both built their combat prowess on the backs of true Martial Arts.'
'You mean?'
'They're royalty. So, who the hell are they calling Aunt?'
…
Rollaith and Sanreth watched Ryu slide back with incredulous expressions. They had both countered a Connecting Heaven Realm expert and the result was him just sliding back a bit? Was this a world of illusions?
Their brows furrowed, each looking down at their fists as though they had lost their minds.
Ryu's arms trembled, blood threatening to tear a path from beneath his skin and through his scales. The vertical slits of his sapphire eyes flickering, the energy of his meridians churning.
At that moment, there entire mountain range had been cleared. Even when Ryu stretched out his [Third Perspective], he couldn't find a soul within a hundred kilometers.
He turned back toward Ailsa and smiled. "Thanks."
Ailsa smiled sweetly, but didn't say anything. She even felt that Ryu's word of thanks was too much already.
Since everyone was gone now, he really could go all out. He'd take this to be a family matter. In that case, what did he have to hide?
The energy within Ryu's meridians continued to churn.
A strong cough left Ryu's lips, what looked like a smoky fog leaving his mouth.
'Seems my inner organs can't take it…' Ryu thought. But in the end, he grinned fiendishly, his blood churning with wild abandon.
BANG! BANG! BANG!
Booms began to sound. But, it quickly became obvious that this sound was coming from within Ryu's body. It was as though it had become a battlefield of its own.
At that moment, Ryu took out a stone. It was none other than the reward he received for defeating the Mountain Barbarian Chiefs.
Without hesitation, Ryu slammed the stone into his chest. It tore a hole through his scales, shattered his rib cage, and lodged itself into his heart.
This time when Ryu coughed, blood followed. Contaminated, blackish red blood flowed from his lips.
Rollaith and Sanreth watched this scene with furrowed brows, shock apparent within their gazes. How far was he willing to go?
CRACK!
Ryu's body suddenly expanded, his scales cracking into a rain of blood before he returned to his original size.
Lightning began to dance around him. At first, it was just the usual blue. But, very soon, thick arcs of black lightning began to manifest themselves.
The sight was completely contradictory. As quickly as the black lightning ripped Ryu's body apart, it seemed to also be absorbed to heal him.
'So this is the strength of Primordial Chaos Lightning Qi…'
Ryu looked up, his gaze flickering between sapphire and deep abyssal black.
"Let's play, little nephews."